1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally automatic swimming pool cleaners, and more particularly to self-adjusting suction regulating flaps forming a skirt that defines and contains the plenum chamber of water beneath the cleaning head of an automatic swimming pool cleaner, so that the water may be passed through the cleaning head to a water filtration system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Among the conveniences offered in contemporary technology are automated or robotic pool cleaning systems. The function of such devices is to clean the submerged surfaces of a swimming pool or fluid tank, to pick up and transport dirty water to a filtering system, and to do so with minimal expenditure of human time and effort. Pool and fluid tank cleaning robots are typically of two general kinds: fluid powered and electric. Such devices are further classified according to whether they are powered by vacuum suction or fluid pressure. Ultimately, however, virtually all fluid suction and pressure driven systems draw water through the cleaning head by subjecting a defined volume of fluid to suction. Typically the fluid is passed to a pool filtration system and returned to the pool cleaned and/or otherwise treated.
Critical to the proper functioning and optimum efficiency of swimming pool cleaners of this type is a skirt bordering and extending downwardly from the inferior portion of the body of the cleaning head. There are several purposes for such skirts, including: (1) to regulate the suction under the pool cleaner head; (2) to maintain effective fluid suction within the plenum chambers of water defined by the cleaning head, the submerged pool surface, and the skirt; (3) to scrape and dislodge loose debris; (4) to accommodate uneven surfaces, terrain and pieces of debris; and (5) to provide a fluid suction force sufficiently powerful to keep the head pressed against the submerged surface and to allow the cleaning head to travel up and across submerged steeply inclined and vertical surfaces.
Prior art skirts typically comprise either a continuous elastomer band fabricated from a suitably durable elastic and resilient material or a plurality of downwardly projecting bristles. While such skirts generally accomplish the first three objectives outlined above, no design known to date provides substantially uncompromised fluid suction on the plenum chamber as the cleaning head passes over uneven surfaces or large pieces of debris, while also allowing large pieces of debris to pass underneath the cleaning head to be further passed through the head and delivered to the filtration system.